FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Nat Pernick, M.D.
Executive Director
The Detroit College Promise
30100 Telegraph Road, Suite 404
Bingham Farms, MI 48025

Telephone: 248/646-3269
Fax: 248/258-9147
Email: NatPernick@Hotmail.com

The Detroit College Promises Announces Its Intent to Begin Providing Scholarships to Detroit Public School Students

15 August 2008: The Detroit College Promise, a nonprofit organization modeled after the Kalamazoo Promise, announces its formation and intent to begin providing college tuition scholarships to the Detroit Public Schools high school graduating class of 2010.

The scholarship program, when fully funded, will be offered to every Detroit Public School high school graduate who completes a simple one page application form (click here). Dr. Nat Pernick, Executive Director, indicated that “the only requirements for the scholarship are graduation from a DPS High School, with at least 4 years of continuous enrollment and City of Detroit residency. There are no income or academic restrictions.”

The Detroit College Promise hopes to emulate the success of the Kalamazoo Promise (https://www.kalamazoopromise.com) which has led to increase in public school enrollment in Kalamazoo (The Plain Dealer 6 July 2008). The Kalamazoo Promise has also changed student behavior, with 34% of students surveyed indicating that they are working harder, and 87% indicating that they plan to use the Kalamazoo Promise to enroll in a community college or university (Evaluation of the Kalamazoo Promise Working Paper #3).

The Detroit College Promise has started obtaining pledges of financial support along two tracks. First, it is seeking 1000 or more pledges of support from individuals from $20 or more, so community residents feel invested in the program, and to demonstrate widespread support. Second, it is pursuing larger pledges from the business and non-profit community, to provide funding for the initial years and for an endowment that will support the program in perpetuity. Pernick indicated that “we need $500,000 in pledges to begin the program at a pilot high school(s). If this happens soon, we will start the program with this year’s graduating class. All funds raised will be sent to the colleges and universities for tuition. No money will be sent to parents, students, the Detroit Public Schools or other entities.” The Detroit College Promise is also seeking endorsements and other support from our political leaders.

Pernick noted that it is important to make Detroit area parents aware of The Detroit College Promise at this time, so those interested will enroll in the Detroit Public Schools. Children who enroll in the Detroit Public Schools after 9th grade will not be eligible for the scholarship, due to its 4 year enrollment requirement. In addition, earlier enrollment is recommended, because the scholarship benefit increases the longer a student attends DPS, ranging from 65% of tuition and mandatory fees for 4 years to 100% of tuition for 13 years, and nothing if less than 4 years.

The Detroit College Promise website, at www.DetroitCollegePromise.org, contains complete information about the scholarship and regularly updated news about its progress. It also contains suggestions for parental activity, in anticipation of the implementation of The Detroit College Promise.

For further information, please contact Dr. Nat Pernick at 248/646-0325 or NatPernick@Hotmail.com.

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